Baker Softball Sweeps Clarke in Neutral Site Doubleheader

OSKALOOSA, Iowa – Playing at a neutral site in Oskaloosa, Iowa, the No. 7 Baker softball team took both games of its makeup series against Clarke, besting the Pride 5-1 in game one before claiming a 4-3 victory in the nightcap on Tuesday afternoon.

With now 10 conference wins on the season, the Wildcats have outscored Heart opponents, 50-23 with their starting rotation holding teams to two or fewer earned runs in all but two league games this year.

BU 5, CU 1
Baker's starter Skylar Gorrell kept the Clarke lineup off the scoreboard through the first six innings and a four-run fifth inning paved the way for the Wildcats to take game one of the series, 5-1.

Parker Straight opened up the afternoon with a leadoff single and then moved into scoring position on her 30th stolen base of the year. Gorrell followed with a one-out double to drive in Straight and give BU the early 1-0 advantage.

Baker's big fifth inning began with a double from Mary Grace Hess, who came around to score on a Kerstyn Finch squeeze play before Gorrell clobbered a two-run shot to push the Wildcats' lead out to 4-0. Savannah Bray capped the four-run fifth with a solo blast over the fence in center, marking her team-leading sixth home run of the spring.

Clarke strung together a few scoring chances against Gorrell, but Baker's savvy veteran was able to dispatch the threats with her nine strikeouts and leave the Pride with eight runners stranded in the contest.

BU 4, CU 3
It was another game-opening knock for Wildcats leadoff hitter Straight in the second game of the doubleheader as her and Finch connected on back-to-back hits to put runners at the corners before Straight came across to score on a run-producing groundout from Gorrell.

After Clarke tied things in the third, Baker retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth with Bailey Shuman racing home on an Emma Ancira sacrifice, only to have the Pride swing the pendulum back in their favor with a two-run fifth inning.

With two outs in the home half of the fifth, Gorrell smacked her second home run of the day on a solo shot over the left field wall to draw things even again at 3-3.

In BU's decisive sixth inning, Bray opened the frame with an infield single and came around to score on Hess' RBI single to right field.

Clarke drew a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh, but was quickly negated by catcher Morgan Loggins who gunned down a stolen base attempt to squash any late rally as the Wildcats completed the sweep with a 4-3 victory.

Baker will return home on Thursday, April 20 for its makeup series versus Graceland with the doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. at Cavaness Field in Baldwin City.

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